William f



(No Model.) f v W. F. TRULSEN.

LABYRINTH PUZZLE.

No. 427,283. Patented Manyv 6, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

VILLIAM F. TRULSEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ,ONE-HALF TO VREELAND BRICKELLOF SAME PLACE.

LABYRINTH-PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,283, dated May 6, 1890.

Application led December 18, 1889. Serial No. 334,215. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. TEULsEN, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful improvement in Labyrinth-Puzzles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in puzzles in which a series of labyrinthian passages are employed; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter described, and indicated inthe claim. A

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding` parts in all of -the figures.

Figure l is a top plan view of the puzzle. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the device, taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. l, and Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. l.

The puzzle is comprised of a shallow rectangular box A, in which is located a sheetmetal piece B, that is made to fit within the box, and has numerous ribs a stamped on it, these being of sufficient height to produce grooves or passages b between adjacent ribs, that thus become sidewalls for these numerous passages, which in groups are parallel to each other and to the side walls of the box A. The terminals of the grooved passages ball com munie-ate with a central shallow recess c, formed in the piece B and radiate therefrom. Some of the passages b intersect each other and return to the center recess c. These all together produce a mazej while one devious passage a (indicated by dotted lines) extends continuously from the recess c to an exit opening or hole c', formed near one corner of thebox which it intersects. Upon the border walls or sides of the box A a transparent lid A made of glass or other suitable material, is secured.

The lid A is centrally perforated to afford a small aperture c2, for the introduction of a leaden shot d or similar spherical ball, that is of such diameter as to permit it to :roll freelyy in the grooved passages a or b, while it is prevented from escape over the top of the ribs or walls a by their proximity to the lid A.

In operation the shot d is inserted in the aperture c2 and falls upon the plate B within the recess c. The device is now manipulated to cause the shot or ball d to'traverse a passage and escape from the exitorifice c,wl1ich is the object aimed at.

Owing to the devious nature of the one correct path for the ball and the number of misleading radial passages extending from the recess c it is a matter of considerable difficulty to [ind the proper course for the ball, as if the correct path is entered the operator is liable to cause the ball to deviate therefrom at the points e, e', and e2, where false passages intersect the same.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent*4 In a labyrinthian puzzle, the combination, with a rectangular box and a centrally-per-` forated transparent lid, of a sheet-metal plate having a series of false or misleading passages produced thereon by raised ribs, said passages all starting from a central recess, and one true passage leading from the central recess to a corner of the plat'e, where it intersects an exit-hole in the box,and a ball which is adapted to traverse the passages and escape therefrom, substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM F. TRULSEN.

CHAs. W. GAUDINEER, FELIX NIssEN. 

